More Arrests in Dominican Republic Following Shoot-Out with Doomsday Sect

Dominican Republic authorities are still rounding up suspects following a shoot-out between law enforcement personnel and a group of German citizens said to be members of a doomsday cult called the Academy for Future Health. The shoot-out took place in an exclusive neighborhood popular with German immigrants. One of the cult members was killed in the firefight. The cult’s leader, Peter Brunck, was taken alive. He was wearing a bullet-proof vest at the time of his arrest. A cache of weapons, including grenades, rifles and crossbows, was discovered in the house.

Brunck’s son Daniel was taken into protective custody last week. Daniel’s girlfriend Isabella Dietrich was also arrested.

The Academy for Future Health website is in German, but an admittedly poor translation to English via Google describes Brunck as a successful speaker and man who knows “the truth” about “situations”. Another page on the site features an image of a passenger jet with the following accompanying text dated May 2012: (Google Translation again):

We thank our friends – it is through our life a pleasure. We thank our enemies – through them we have grown and strengthened. Our work is done, now everyone can reap what he has sown in his life.